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How to Plant Fruit and Nut Seedsby This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CITRUS: Citrus usually come true to what you ate if the seed is polyembyonic. Momoembyonic seed you have to worry about what pollen was brought to the flower (who the “daddy” was). Take the seed(s) out of the fruit and before they can dry out, soak the seeds over night in water. The next day wash by simply running straight hot water (with no cold water) from the sink over them in a strainer until the slim is gone. (This slim is part of the natural protection the seed has to protect it from the acid that is in the fruit.) Then immediately plant in good potting soil about one inch deep. Unfortunately, you will have to wait 4 to 11 years for fruit. No chilling is required. Chilling or letting them dry out will make them go dormant and they will take longer to germinate. (I got kumquats and Sunquats to fruit in 4 years. Beni Hassaku, a pummelo hybrid, took 11 years.)

If you want to wait before planting, soak them in a solution of 1 tbsp of bleach to 1 gal. of water for 5-10 minutes. This will kill any mold and mildew. Then rinse them thoroughly. After rinsing, place them in pure peat moss that has been moistened slightly in a Ziploc vegetable or regular bag. Too much moisture and the seeds will rot. Refrigerate them. Do not freeze. They can be saved for 2-3 months in the refrigerator.

PEACH & NECTARINE: Peach and Nectarine seeds come true some of the time, depending on the pollen the flower received. Take the seeds from the fruit, crack the shell and remove the kernels. Do not let the kernel dry out and plant immediately. If they dry out they will have to be “stratified” (If stratification is necessary, stratify them like persimmon seeds described next.

PERSIMMON: Wash the seeds to remove all fruit particles and put them in a plastic Ziploc vegetable or regular bag with damp peat moss for stratification. Stratification: Put the bag of seeds and peat moss in the refrigerator fruit section and refrigerate for at least 30 days. Remove the seeds from the bag and plant in good potting soil. Persimmon seeds develop a deep taproot.

MANGO: Mango seeds are mono or polyembryonic just like citrus seeds. (See details about mono and poly seeds described in the citrus section above.) It depends on what variety you have. Remove the kernel from the outer leathery covering and immediately plant with the hump sticking up out of good potting soil. Don’t allow to dry out. After the mango develops a few leaves remove more of the soil around the seed so that sunlight can hit the cotyledons and make them turn green and continue to feed the seedling.

AVOCADO: Plant deep enough below the soil surface so that the emerging shoot will have about 1 to 2 inches exposed to the soil. Roots will come out from the shoot just above the seed. Be sure the pointed end is up and the flat side down. Plant in good potting soil.

-------------------Note: These instructions are intended to produce the highest germination rate. Just planting any seed in good potting soil without the other instructions will get varying results.